Ethical property investment in Brazil flagged as part of a new trend

Ten years since Brazil was first flagged up as one of the BRIC nations about to burst onto the world economy the face of property investment has grown and changed.

The country had grown to be the seventh largest economy by GDP and a range of socially progressive policies have helped Brazil be a leader in South America.

Overseas buyers have been investing in new builds and buy to let properties and now there is a growing demand for more ethical and social investments.

Indeed, some believe that high social impact property investment is set to be the key ethical investment trend to watch in the coming years.

According to Robert Gavin, director and founding partner of Property Horizons, has detected the trend. ‘We are finding that increasingly for our clients investment is about more than just making money. They want to use their funds to do some good in the world, to make a difference,’ he said.

Property Horizons’ own approach is one of ethical business practice. Thorough research and due diligence are carried out for every project that they offer, and the company said that it never presents an investment that it would not be prepared to put its own funds into.

‘A few years ago, investors were demanding luxury beach front rental properties in Brazil. These days they are looking for something more socially responsible,’ he explained.

One example is the  Bosque Residencial development in São Gonçalo do Amarante which offers social housing to some of Brazil’s most deprived families. With an emphasis on high quality properties and new standards of social housing, it is enabling families to move out of slums as part of the government backed Minha Casa, Minha Vida (my home, my life) scheme.

Bosque Residencial is a secure gated community that is being built with a focus on health and wellbeing, with tennis/basketball courts and cycle paths for residents to enjoy. It also upholds environmental commitments, with two trees being planted for every one that is uprooted during construction.

Gavin said that for buyers Bosque Residencial offers a low entry point with investments starting from £23,000 and assured returns of 20% in 12 months. He added that there peace of mind that transactions are handled through a UK based Escrow facility.

Similar projects by the same award winning developer have seen families moving in within days of construction being finished, due to the substantial waiting list.

‘With a current housing deficit of eight million homes, which is predicted to rise to 12.5 million by 2023, there has never been a better time to invest in Brazil,’ said Gavin.